Car dumper



Dee 1933- E. H. KIDDER 1,938,027

CAR DUMPER Filed June 1, 195 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Yin/2i. 153/492" Dec. 5,1933. E, KiDDER 1,938,027

CAR DUMPER Filed June 1, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 157 In yew/0r 27W??? 1%ffz a de/ Jilarrzzja Dec. 5, 1933. KlDDER 1,938,027

' CAR DUMPER Filed June 1, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. H. KIDDER Dec. 5,1933.

CAR DUMPER Filed June 1, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 IUNI-TED STATES CAR DUMPER Elwin H. Kidder, Chicago, Ill., assignor toLink- Belt Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationJune 1, 1931. Serial No. 541,382 '20 Claims. (01., 214-47) My inventionrelates to a grain car unloader and has for one purpose the provision ofunload- 1,5 maticallyin the accompanying drawings, whereing means:whereby a 'car filled with grain can quickly and eificiently beunloaded. Another purpose is the provision of door opening means forsuch a grain car unloader and, particularly, door opening means-whichwill operate, when the grain car is tilted laterally, to press in thecar door and to permit the grain to escape. Another object is theprovision of means for holding the grain car door out of the line ofgrain fiow after it has been opened. Other objects will appear from timeto time in the course of the specification and claims.

. I illustrate my invention more or less diagram- Figure 1 is a sideelevation, with parts in seciion; v Figure 2 is an end elevation of theparts prior to the car door being opened; V V

Figure 3 is an end elevation with parts in sec- 7 tion, illustratingtheopening device in position Figure 5. u

at the end of the grain car door opening move- I ment.

Figure 4 is a partial top plan View of. one side of the platformstructure and associated parts; Figure "5 is an enlarged section alongtheline 55 of Figure l; and

= Figure 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Like parts are indicatedby like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A generally indicates the bottom of anysuitable pit, provided with walls A A? indicaies a projection or bracketextending inwardly from one of .said walls upon which some of, the carhandling mechanism be low described may be positioned. A generallyindicates a receiving hopper with the bottom A and the dischargeaperture A which maybe closed as by any suitable removable closuremembersA A indicates a conveyor belt upon which the grain dischargedthrough the aperturesA maybe received and conveyed for disposalelsewhere. y

B B indicate base members herein shown as positioned upon the bottom Aofthe pit, and supporting any suitable frame B B indicates any suitablemotor, for example an electric motor which drives a gear train includingthe motor shaft pinion B in mesh w th gear B which any suitable B B 1 CC indicate rollers, pivoted upon the frame B These are channeled as at Cto. receive the arcuate track C This track is mounted upon my anysuitable supporting frame work generally indicated as C upon which inturn is mounted any suitable platform structure C which may havepositioned upon its top the track rails C The cables B are dead ended orsecured, at their 5 ends, at opposite ends of the tracks 0 as at C C forexample in stop members C which serve, by contact with the rollers C, tolimit the drum B about which pass the cables possible tilt of theplatformor cradle structure above described. It will be understood thatwhen the cradle or platform is in the position inwhich itis shown inFigures 2 and 4, the ends of the platform C are positivelysupported. Iindicate for example supporting abutments C for the left side of eachend of the platform, and support- (5 ing abutments C for the right sideof each end of the platform,- the supporting abutments 0'' being fartherfrom the mid point of theplatform than the abutments C the platformbeing for Wardly extended as at C in order to engage and 30 rest uponthe abutments C". It will therefore be understood that when the partsare in the posi tion in which they are shown in Figures 2 and 4, anylongitudinal tilting of the, platform is positively prevented by theabutments upon which it rests, and with which, in effect, the platforminterlocks. As shown in Figure 2 it will be noted that'the abutments C5are provided with convex "upper surfaces which rest in correspondingconcave surfaces C of the blocks C upon the lower on portion of the endsof the frame.

D D indicate any suitable clamps for the ends of the car generallyindicated as D and positioned, when inoperative, in the pits D They mayinclude pads or abutment members D opposed to the couplings D of thecar, and any suitable means may be employed for raising and v drawingthe clamps D into operative position whenit is desired to secure a carin place upon the platform. As the details of theclamping mechanism doonct of themselves form part of the present invention, they arediagrammatically illustrated. I may for example employ amotor D mountedon the platform C which drives the shaft D through the gear reductionsgenerallyindicated as D The shaft D through the gear reductions D drivesthe nut D which moves the screw D longitudinally. D indicate tracksalong which, the carriages D may move into and out of operating positionfor the conlongitudinal or axial movement thereto.

veyance of the clamps D into and out of operative position.

Extending upwardly from one side of the platform C is a bracket frame Ewhich supports an upstanding frame structure generallyindicated as Ewhich includes the transverse top structural member. E Pivoted adjacentor upon the transverse member E is a hangerstructure indicated as Ewhich may be pivoted as at E At its lower end is a guide E upon which isadjustably or slidably mounted the door engaging member E which may forexample have a plate provided with the forward spikes or projections EAny suitable means may be employed for raising and lowering the doorcontacting member E. I may employ for example the cable E passing abouta sheave E and about a shaft E the rotation of which may be controlledas by the lever E and ratchet wheel E and the dogs E E The dog E ismounted on the lever E and serves to rotate the ratchet, while the dog Eis mounted on the hanger and serves to prevent unintended retrograderotation of the ratchet. However, any other suitable means for raisingor lowering the member E may be employed.

Mounted on the platform A is the unitary frame G upon which is mountedany suitable motor G which drives, through its motor shaft pinion G agear G upon the shaft G the pinion G of which is in mesh with a gear Gwhich is mounted on a threaded sleeve G", the rotation of which actuatesthe screw 6, to impart G9 generally indicates a universal joint oruniversal coupling-for the opposite end of the screw G I do not wish tobe limited to any specific universal joint, but I have shown a block Gon the end of the screw Gr to which is pivoted a yoke G to which in turnis pivoted another yoke G which in turn is connected to a rod G which isconnected by a similar universal connection at its opposite end to theupright frame structure E as upon the horizontal longitudinal plate E Itwill be understood that as the motor G is actuated the rotation of thesleeve G imparts axial longitudinal movement to' the screw G and thusmoves the platform or cradle structure as a whole toward or away fromthe bracket A t will be understood that the car dumper platform C4 issupported upon the track C which in turn is supported upon the rollersC, seating in the grooves C of said rollers. as in Figures 2 and 3, thatwhen the rails C on the platform 0 are aligned with the rails C of thetrack ends, the frame structure C is tilted to the left, referring tothe position of the parts as in Figure 2, and that the weight'oi thestructure thus tends to hold the platform C firmly in position upon thesupporting abutments C Any additional locking means may be employed ifdesired, but the structure is normally gravitally held in position. Onthe other hand, when it is desired to tilt the car longitudinally andthe parts are moved into the position in which they are shownin Figure3, the frame structure C lies'in a generally vertical plane.

H indicates any suitable deflector 2 whereby grain discharged from thecar D may be delivered into the bin A It will be understood that it iscurrent'practice to nail innergrain car doors within the normal doors ofthe freight cars in which grain is shipped. The permanent freight cardoors, which are not indicated herein, being slid' or "t will be seen,

moved out of alignment with the door opening, there are still left theboards J of the grain door, which may for example be nailed at theinside of the door aperture. When the car is tilted laterally into theposition in which it is shown in Figure 3, the members E and E must bemoved forwardly against the grain door. In order to effect this movementI provide a compression member J which is connected at one end, by meansof a universal joint J to the hanger structure E At its other end it isconnectedas by the universal connection J with any suitable cover orhousing J which forms part of or is secured to the unitary structuregenerally indicated as G. It will therefore be understood that as thecar structure is tilted laterally to the position of Figure 3, themember J serves as a compression member to prevent the complete unitarymovement of the members E and E with the car. As the car and car supportC tilt, the hanger E is forced to: pivot about its axis E. This firstengages the member E with thedoor boards J, and then forces them intothe position shown in Figure 3. Points E normally hold the door boards Jin place as a unit and entirely out of alignment with the escapinggrain.

In the operation'of the device a car is first spotted on the platform0*. The clamps'D are then actuated to hold it in place, the motor G isthen actuated to draw in on the member G which then serves as a tensionmember to tilt the frame C and the platform C laterally about a pivotdefined by the rollers C. However, this lateral tilting movement causesthe member J to serve as a compression member and to force the doorboards J into the position in which they are shown in Figure 3 as abovedescribed. The motor 13 may then be actuated to tilt the carlongitudinally, and the grain pours out through the car door and uponthe deflector H and'into the bin A Any suitable means may be employedfor assisting the escape of the grain,'such bafiles or the like, suchmeans not herein indicated as not forming of themselves part of thepresent invention. When the car has been finally cleared of its grain itmay then be rotated back to the position in which it is shownin Figure 1with the result that the door opener is also returned to the position inwhich it is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The clamps D can then be movedinto inoperative position and the car removed along the rails C It willbe realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical andoperative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in size, shape,number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit ofmyinvention. I therefore wish the drawings and description to be takenas in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic rather than as limitingme to my specific showing herein.

Attention is called to the fact that because the cradle in the uprightposition rests at its ends upon fixed supports and issubstantially-entirely supported by them, no interlocking means areneeded to maintain the cradle against displacement as cars run onto andoff of it, and up to the time when the cradle is laterally tilted thebridge 'or cradle is as rigid and fixed in position, without anyinterlocking or special latch means, as if it were an integral part ofthe track structure, and it is only when the lateral tilting means havegone into operation, lifted the cradle *oiiits supporting abutments andmoved it lat- Mil cradle out,oflinewith the supporting pads on theabutments, that endwise tilting of the cradle becomes possible. Thus thelateraltiltingmeans serve both to tilt the car so. as to insure that thegrain will run out of the side, and also to posi tionandinterlock thecar cradle with the structure, thereby-obviating any necessity of anypositive movable interlocking-means.

,Because the .rollergring wth its arcuate track engagesthe supportingrollers in the bottom of the pit 'andgmay both travel'along thoserollersand rotate ina-plane parallel with their axes, no separate supportingmeans are provided, and because,- the "endwise tilting cable wound aboutthe roller ring is connected to the driving drum at a point between thetwo rollers and adjacent the linejoining the pointsfi Contact betweeneach roller and the roller ring, the lateral tilt of the cradle does notmaterially affect the length of; the cable, so no special adjustment isneeded.

' Of course the roller ring cannot have its traveling; movemen t alongthe rollers unless it is located inaplane substantially perpendicular totheir axesof rotation, and it only reaches this position when the cradlehas been tilted. This is a real advantage because automatically thereisaninterlock in that as long as the roller ring isin such position thatit cannot travel along the rollers, the cradle is interlocked with itssupporting abutments. When the cradle has been finally tilted out. ofthat interlock relation, the roller ringis, at the same time and by thesame movementbrqught into'a position where it is free to travel alongthe rollers. f It, willalso be notedthat the axis about whic the:wholestructure rotates for endwise tilt is substantiallyon line with thefixed abutment so that the universal joint connection between thethreadedsleeve on the abutment and the] cradle is sufiicient to permitthe endwise tilt of the cradle and car without interference.

3 I claimn l. A car unloader comprising a cradle adapted t9 carry atrack, and means for holding a car in spotted position thereon,supporting abutments iorsaid; cradle adapted to hold the cradle ininterlocked relation, a tilting support for the cradle, means -for.operating said tilting support to-laterally displace the cradle andsimultaneously break the interlock between the cradle and itsabutmentandmeans, operative only after the cradle has been laterally tilted and theinterlock broken, for tilting the cradle longitudinally. 2. .Acarunloader including a cradle, an arcuate supportingstructure integraltherewith, rollers in operating relation with the periphery of thearcuatesupporting structure, means, applied at .the center of rotationof the rotating structure, for tilting it laterally, means, applied atthe periphery-of the arcuate structure and substantially on a line withits axis of lateral rotation,

for rotating it longitudinally and power means for -operating'said'rotating means, said power means beingiixed in position withrespect to the 1 .supporting rollers.

3. A car unloader including a cradle, an integral supporting structureextending downward-- ly therefrom, a semi-circular track bounding suchstructure, the center about which the track is described beinglocated-adjacent the floor of a car -carried on the cradle, supportingrollers upon which the track rests, means in fixed position with respectto the rollers at one side of the structure,,for tilting it laterallyabout anaxis Y H joining the points of contact between said rollers andthe track, and a connectionbetween the structure and such tilting meansapplied thereto adjacent the center of rotationameans for rotating thestructure to cause the track totravel along the rollers, said meansbeing in fixed position with-respect to the rollers, and a connectionbetween. such rotating means and thestructure localized at apointadjacent the track and between the rollers. e a

4. In a car unloader, a cradle and means for positioning a carthereupon,an, arcuate; edged support for the cradle, means for moving said cradlelaterally, and means for tilting said cradle longitudinallywhenlaterally moved, the means for moving the cradle laterally including amem ber connected to the cradle and extending transversely therefrom,located substantially at the center about which the arcuate edge of thesupport is described, and-means for applying force to said member tomove thecradle.

5.In a car unloader, a cradle and means for positioning a car thereupon,anarcuate edged support for the cradle, means for movingsaid cradlelaterally,and means for tilting said cradle longitudinally, whenlaterally moved, the means for moving the cradle laterally including amember connected to the cradle and extending transversely therefrom,located substantially at the center about which the arcuate edge of thesup: port is described, and means for applying-force to said member tomove the cradle, and a flexible connection between said member and thecradle.

6. In a car unloader, a cradle and means for positioning a carthereupon, an arcuate edged said member to move the cradle, andauniversal joint connection between said memberand the cradle.

'7. In a car handling device, a track, a-cradle adapted to be alignedwith said track, means for positioning a car on the cradle, supportingmeans for supporting the cradle when aligned with the track, andadditional supporting means for the cradle, effective when the cradlehas been laterally moved, means for laterallytilting thecradle, thecenter of support of said last mentioned supporting means beinglaterally. removed'from the central axis of the track in the directiontoward which the cradle is tilted, the weight of car and cradle tending,at all positions of said support, to return the cradle to alignmentwiththe track, and means for longitudinally tilting the cradle when it hasbeen moved out of longitudinal alignmentwith the track.

8. In a car handling device, a track, a cradle adapted to be alignedwith said track, means for positioning a car on-the cradle, supportingmeans for supporting the cradle when aligned with the track, andadditional supporting means for the cradle, effective when the cradlehas been laterally moved, means for laterally tilting the cradle, thecenter of support of said last mentioned supporting means beinglaterally removed from the central axis of the track in the directiontoward which the cradle is tilted, the weight of the car and cradletending, at all positions, to return: the cradle to alignment with thetrack, and meansfor longitudinally tilting the cradle when it has beenmoved out of longitudinal alignment with the track, said supportingmeans including an arcuately edged support and supporting rollersadapted to receive it.

9'. In a car handling-device, a track, a cradle adapted to be alignedwith said track, means for positioning a car on the cradle, supportingmeans for supporting the cradle when aligned with the track, andadditional supporting means for the cradle, effective when the cradlehas been laterally moved, means for laterally tilting the cradle, thecenter of support of said last mentioned supporting means beinglaterally removed from the central axis of the track in thedirection'toward which the cradle is tilted, the weight of car andcradle tending, at all positions, to return the cradle to alignment withthe track, and means for longitudinally tilting the cradle when it hasbeen moved out of longitudinal alignment with the track, said additionalsupporting means including an arcuately edged support and supportingrollers adapted to receive it, and means for laterally tilting thecradle including an actuating connection with the cradle adjacent thecenter of the arc of the edge of the support.

10. In a car unloader, a track, a cradle adapted to be aligned with saidtrack, means for positioning a car upon said cradle, means for movingsaid cradle laterally out of alignment with said track and for tiltingsaid cradle when laterally so moved, said cradle including side membersof unequal length, the side member on the side of the cradle towardswhich the cradle laterally tips being 'of'greater length than theopposite side member.

the cradle is aligned with the track, underlying said side members, thesupports which underlie the longer of the side members being separatedby a distance greater than the length of the shorter side member.

a Y '12. In a car'unloa der, a cradle adapted tosupport a car, adownwardly projecting supporting member rigidly associated with thecradle and a fixed abutment upon which said cradle rests, means fortilting the cradle and rigid member laterally in the same direction andfor tilting them longitudinally, and means for positively preventing thelongitudinal tilting movement until the lateral tilting movement hasbeen completed. 13. In a car unloader, a cradle adapted to sup port acar, a downwardly projecting supporting member rigidly associated withthe cradle, means for tilting the cradle and rigid member laterally andfor tilting them longitudinally, and means for positively preventing thelongitudinal tilting movement until the lateral tilting movement hasbeen completed, said means comprising fixed abutments on which thecradle is positively sup ported at the beginning of the lateral tiltingmovement.

' 14; In a car unloader, a cradle adapted to support a car, a downwardlyprojecting supporting member rigidly associated with the cradle, meansfor tilting the cradle and rigid member laterally and for tilting themlongitudinally, and means for positively preventing the longitudinaltilting movement until the lateral tilting movement has been completed,said means comprising fixed abutments on which the cradle is positivelysupported at the beginning of the lateral tilting movement, theabutments being so positioned with respect to the cradle that thelateral tilting movement carries the cradle out of line with theabutments to permit the longitudinal tilt.

15. In a car unloader, a cradle,a segmentalroller ring integraltherewith and projecting downwardly therefrom, a pair of rollers adaptedto engage the periphery of the roller ring and support it, a car trackcarried by the cradle, the roller ring being inclined to the verticalwhen the car track is horizontal, means for tilting the roller ringabout an axis joining the points of contact of the two rollers and thering to bringthe roller ring into a substantially vertical plane. v

v 16. In a car unloader, a cradle, a segmental roller ring integraltherewith and projecting downwardly therefrom, a pair of rollers adaptedto engage the periphery of the roller ring and support it, a car trackcarried by the cradle, the roller ring being inclined to the verticalwhen the car track is horizontal, means for tilting the roller ringabout an axis joining the points of contact of the two rollers and thering to bring the roller ring into a substantially vertical plane, andmeans for rotating the roller ring'about an axis parallel with the axisof the rollers when in such vertical plane.

17. In a car unloader, a cradle, a segmental roller ring integraltherewith and projecting downwardly therefrom, a pair of rollers adaptedto engage the periphery of the roller ring and support it, a'car trackcarried by the cradle, the roller ring being inclined to-the verticalwhen the car track is horizontal, means for tilting the roller ringabout an axis joining the points of contact of the two rollers and thering to bring the roller ring into a substantially vertical plane, thetilting means being connected to the cradle at a point substantiallyconcentric with the roller ring.

18. In a car unloader, a cradle, a segmental roller ring integraltherewith, and projecting for rotating the roller ring about an axisparallel with the axis of the rollers when in such vertical plane, thelateral tilting means being connected to the cradle at a pointsubstantially concentric with the roller ring, the power to causelongitudinal tilting being applied at a point adjacentto the linejoining points of contact of the tworollers and the roller ring.

19. In a grain car unloader, a track section; a fixed abutment uponwhich the track section is supported when in horizontal position, meansfor securing a grain car at a predetermined point upon said tracksection, means for bodily displacing the track section laterally to'disengage it from the abutment, means for longitudinally tilting'tlie'track. section after it has been so disengaged, the

relation whereby longitudinal-tilting is positively prevented until thelateral displacement has been completed. a

the other operative as a supporting means exclusively only when thetrack section is out of line with the remainder of the track, and meansfor tilting the track section laterally to clear the first named tracksupporting means and means operative only after such lateral tilt totilt the track section longitudinally. I V

ELWIN: H. KIDDER.

